Ford’s revitalised hybrid strategy could soon include a V8 engine as the hero for its next-generation Raptor models.
Ford CEO Jim Farley has opened the door to a V8-powered Raptor that would leverage the US automaker’s tilt at the 2026 Dakar Rally with its purpose-built Raptor T1+ racers which employ a version of the Blue Oval brand’s iconic 5.0-litre Coyote V8 from the Mustang muscle car.
Speaking in the Saudi Arabian desert at the Dakar Rally bivouac – essentially a mobile pit lane that follows the epic 14-day adventure – Ford’s outspoken and ever-enthusiastic chief gave the strongest hints yet that a V8 hybrid powertrain could be employed in the off-road space the brand wants to dominate.
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“Our best-selling F-150 is the EcoBoost hybrid,” Mr Farley told media, after mingling with fans on sand dunes and spending time with the factory-backed team that entered four Raptor T1+ rally raid machines in what is widely regarded as the world’s toughest motorsport event.
“You can expect in our performance off-road vehicles more and more hybridisation, but more on the performance side,” he added.
When asked directly about the prospects of a production V8 hybrid drivetrain, Mr Farley said: “We have accelerated the investment in hybrids across our lineup – and that will include off-road.”
His comments were backed up by Will Ford, the general manager of the recently rebranded Ford Racing division that is now heavily integrated into the future development of Raptor variants.
Mr Ford sees hybrid as key and nominated electrification as a powertrain technology that could extend the life of the V8 within the Blue Oval brand’s lineup.
“It’s pretty clear that hybrid is the performance drivetrain of the future,” said Mr Ford, the son of former Ford CEO Bill Ford.
“We’re not going to get ahead of ourselves and do something that customers don’t want, but we absolutely need to make sure that we continue to push Raptor in every way to make it maintain its position as the most off-road capable vehicle.”
He said a hybrid V8 was “absolutely” on the cards for the Raptor family.
“That’s the nice thing about hybrid is it might allow us to keep the V8 alive a little longer – hopefully a lot longer.”
The question is where at V8 hybrid powertrain would feature within the three-pronged Raptor lineup – F-150, Bronco and Ranger, the only Raptor model to be sold in Australia.
The full-size F-150 pickup seems the most logical candidate given the flagship Raptor R variant is already powered by a V8.
According to overseas reports, a V8 hybrid powertrain is already in Ford’s future model plan and petrol-electric Mustang is undergoing advanced prototype testing.
While Ford has not confirmed details, the move aligns with a broader shift toward hybrids as demand for fully electric vehicles stumbles.
In writing down US$19.5 billion (A$29bn) in capital investments in mid-December, Ford told investors it would “redeploy” capital into “higher-return growth opportunities”, including pickup trucks, vans and hybrids.
The company also flagged that by 2030 about half of its global sales volume would be hybrid vehicles (HEVs), extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs), and battery-electric vehicles (EVs), up from about 17 per cent today.
Against that backdrop, Ford appears to be laying the groundwork for an off-road electrification strategy that enhances capability without diluting character.
Adding an electric motor to a V8 would provide additional low-rpm torque, providing performance and efficiency benefits.
The strategy is not dissimilar to that of Porsche, which recently introduced its first hybrid-powered 911. However, the introduction of electric motors to the classic horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine in the German automaker’s most famous sports car was more about boosting performance than saving fuel.
Mr Farley said hybrid tech can deliver benefits that matter in real-world off-road conditions: instant torque, durability and – crucially – power in remote places.
He pointed to “exportable power” as a defining advantage, describing how battery-equipped utes such as the plug-in hybrid Ranger PHEV can use their spare electricity to power campsites or worksites.
Ford already promotes its ‘Pro Power Onboard’ system as a way to turn the Ranger PHEV into a mobile power source for tradespeople and adventurous types, negating the need for a generator.
All of this hints at where Ford could take the Raptor brand next.
Today’s Ranger Raptor is powered by a high-output 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V6, paired with a high-performance chassis incorporating advanced semi-active Fox dampers, which are central to the identity of Ford’s off-road ‘super trucks’.
But while Ford is embracing hybridisation, Mr Farley was careful not to frame this as a retreat from traditional combustion power – or from the emotional cues that sell enthusiast vehicles.
“I like that our company is unapologetically American with the sound,” he said. “The sound of the vehicle is important,” he added, in reference to V8s.
Raptor versions already account for up to 15 per cent of sales of Australia’s most popular new vehicle for the past three years, and a limited-edition Mustang Raptor is reportedly on the way.
But the prospect of a burbling, high-performance hybrid V8 in Ford’s next-generation off-road halo models is also likely to resonate with Raptor fans.